Leveling bar for coke ovens or the like



2 Sheets-Sheet 2 R. K. MILLARD LEVELING BAR FOR COKE OVENS OR THE LIKE Filed Aug. 22, 1944 April 30, 1946.

Patented Apr. 30, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEVELIN G BAR FOR COKE OVENS OR THE LIKE Robert K. Millard, Ingomar, Pa. Application August 22, 1944, Serial No. 550,569 4 Claims. (01. 214-23) This invention relates to a leveling bar for coke ovens. Leveling bars as known heretofore have usually taken the form of a fabricated cantilever beam adapted to be thrust longitudinally into the oven from one end, composed of spaced side plates and transverse web plates extending therebetween at intervals along the length thereof. The reciprocation of the beam relied on to effect distribution of coal piled up beneath inlets in the top of the oven, by engagement of the web plates therewith, has been accompanied by spillage of coal from the leveling door. This has necessitated the provision of a deflecting plate on the outside of the main door on the pusher side and a bin or other container for collecting the spillage.

I have invented a novel form of leveler bar capable, ofdistributing the coal in the oven in such manner that withdrawal of the bar does not cause any spillage. The bar of my invention levels the coal at an elevation below that of the transverse web plates so that the latter do not gather any coal ahead of them as the bar is withdrawn.

In one embodiment of my invention, I provide a leveler bar with a shaft extending longitudinal- 1y thereof and journaled on the bar for rotation. I mount one or more radially extending blades on the shaft and provide means for rotating the shaft as desired. The blades may be in the form of spaced segments rotatable with the shaft into leveling position and effective to distribute coal on reciprocation of the bar or they maybe helical, constituting a screw conveyor adapted to distribute coal on continued rotation of the shaft without reciprocation of the bar.

Further details and-novel features of my invention will become apparent during the following complete description which refers to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment and a modification. In the drawings,

Figure l is a' partial longitudinal section through a coke oven, largely diagrammatic, showing the leveling bar of my invention extending thereinto;

Figure 2 is a partial horizontal section through one end of the oven, showing the leveling bar in plan;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the bar showing a portion of the oven Walls in section;

Figure 4 is a transverse section through the bar along the plane of line IV-IV of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the modification including helical blades; and

Figure 6 is a transverse section therethrough along the plane of line VI VI of Figure 5, showing a portion of the oven walls in section.

Referring in detail to the drawings, a coke oven indicated generally at Ill comprises spaced side walls l l defining a gas chamber l2 therebetween adapted to be filled with coal for distillation. The Walls H are built up between buckstays 13 in the form of H-beams having stiffening diaphragm plates M welded thereto at intervals. Vertical fiues l5 and crossover flues 16 are formed in the walls I I near the endsof the oven. The ends of the gas chamberare closed by a door H on thepusher side and a door l8 on the coke side.

The door I? has an opening I9 near the top thereof normally closed by a door 20. Aleveling bar 2| is adapted to be inserted through the opening IQ for the purpose of leveling coal discharged onto the floor 22 of the oven through inlet openings 23 in the top 24 of the oven by the spouts 25 0f hoppers mounted on a charging larry adapted to travel along the length of a battery of ovens. The coal delivered through the inlets '23 piles up therebelow as indicated at 26 and the function of the bar 2| is to distribute-the I coal uniformly along the length of the oven in order to permit it to be filled to the desired depth throughout.

The bar 2| is fabricated fromspaced side plates 21 and web plates 28 extending therebetween at intervals along the length thereof. The bar is supported for longitudinal movement through the opening H? by known means and, when extended, as shown in Figure l, constitutes a cantilever beam. A shaft 29 is journaled in the bar, preferably in bearings 30' formed in the web plate 28. The center of the shaft is disposed well below the central horizontal plane through the side plates of the bar. One or more leveling blades in the form of segmental plates 31 are secured to the shaft 29, the several blades being in alignment with each other'so they may all be simultaneously rotated from a position within the side plates, indicatedby chain line in Figure 3,150 the position illustrated in solid lines, in which the blades depend below the bottom .edges of the side plates and are effective for engaging the coal piled up below the inlets 23 and distributing it along the length of the oven on reciprocation of the bar. It will be understood that when the bar is first thrust into the oven, the shaft 29 is turned to swing the blades to their upper position shown by the chain line in Figure 3. Any convenient .line of the inlets.-

the rearmost blade has passed through the door,

the shaft is turned so that the blades extend downwardly as shown in Figure 3, and the bar 2i is then reciprocated as delivery of the coal through the inlets 23 continues. It will be apparent that the blades strike off the top of the piles progressively and insure the filling of the I oven to a substantially uniform depth throughout its length. It will be understood that while I have shown only one blade 3|, any suitable number may be employed. The distance between the foremost and rearmost blades, of course, must be substantially less than the length of the oven to permit the desired stroke of the bar during the leveling operation.

When the oven has been completely filled by the procedure described, the shaft 29 is turned to throw the blades 3 l into their upper positions,

the bar 2| is withdrawn, the door 29 is closed and coking of. the charge proceeds in the known manner, the gases distilled from the coal being 0 withdrawn through an ofitake 32. It will be apparent that the blades 3|, when turned down, level off the coal piles at an elevation below that of the lower edges of the web plates 28. There is thus no possibility that the web plates will drag anyportion of the charge out through the openhis |9- as the bar is withdrawn. It is thus unnecessary to provide any deflector plate on the outside of the door I! or any collector for spillage. A further advantage is the elimination of any danger of pulling coal from the oven into passages 33 formed partly in the door ll and partly in the walls I l for the withdrawal of gases which might "otherwise leak out through the door, in the absence of special provisions to prevent such 1eakage." This feature is also disclosed and claimed in my'copending application, serial No. 550,568 for Door for coke ovens or the like filed August 22, 1944.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, leveling bar 2! has a shaft 29' journaled in the web plates 28' thereof and provided with helical flights or blades 34. The blades are arranged in pairs below the inlets 23', the blades of each pair being of opposite pitch, so that on rotation of the shaft they distribute coal in opposite directions from the center A motor 35 mounted on the bar 2i drives the shaft 29' through a worm 36 and worm-wheel 31.

The bar 2] is moved into the oven after the coal has piled up to about the condition shown inth drawings and remains stationary therein while the remainder of the charge is being deof thebar during the charging, as in the case of the form of the invention previously described. Thebar' 2!. is provided with a door 38 adapted livered. That is to say, there'is no reciprocation-i to close the opening 19' while the bar is in the oven. The door 38 may be yieldably mounted on the bar, being backed up by springs (not shown) to permit a limited give of the door and insuring a tight fit thereof as the bar is arrested on being brought to proper position in the oven. This prevents leakage of smoke or other gases during the charging operation. It willbe understood that the helical blades 34, on rotation of the shaft 29', distribute the coal falling through the inlets 23 in opposite directions therefrom during the later stages of the charging operation.

When the charging has been completed, the bar 2 l is withdrawn with the shaft 29' still turning, as the extreme end of the bar approaches the door, the helical blad nearest the end tends to throw back into the oven any coal which may have accumulated near the door. An inclined strike-off plate 35 at the end of the bar levels the top of the coa1 as the bar is withdrawn and fills in the trench formed by the action of the conveyor blades.

Although I have illustrated and described but a preferred embodiment and a modification of my invention, it will be understood that changes in the details and construction disclosed may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A leveling bar for coke ovens or the like comprising a cantilever beam adapted to be thrust into the oven from one end thereof, a shaft extending longitudinally of the beam and journaled thereon, and a pair of helical blades mounted on the shaft adapted to engage the coal piled up below an inlet in the top of the even, said blades being of opposite pitch and thereby effective to distribute coal in opposite directions along the length of the oven.

2. A leveling bar for coke ovens or the like comprising a cantilever beam adapted to be thrust into the oven from one end thereof, a shaft extending longitudinally of the beam and journaled thereon, and a plurality of pairs of helical blades mounted on th shaft, each pair being adapted to engage 'the coal piled up below an inlet in the top of the oven, the blades of each pair being of opposite pitch and thereby effective to distribute coal in opposite directions along the length of the oven.

3.- In a leveling bar for coke ovens or the like including a cantilever beam adapted tobe thrust thereon, helical blades mounted on said shaft adapted to engage the coal piled up below inlets in the top of the oven and distribute it along the length of the oven, and a strike-off plate inclined to the vertical at the end of the beam adapted to fill in the trench formed in the top of the coal by said blades.

4. Th apparatus defined by claim 1 characteriz'ed by means on said beam for driving said shaft.

ROBERT K. MILLARD. 

